*Book One of the Amor Fati Series*
Prince Calanthe Ámarent, once the child of a beloved queen regnant and now a disgraced prince, goes on a journey to re-discover his identity after experiencing tragedy, loss, and abuse at the hands of his Aunt, Qu...
**I was listening to various songs by Billie Eilish (most notably "What Was I Made For", and often I find they resonant a lot with Calanthe. I enjoy listening to them to get me into the mood to write his character. Just thought I'd share that bit of information**
Trigger warning: mentions of abuse (verbal, mental, and physical)
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Calanthe gawked at himself in the tall mirror. His maidservant, Laina, had dressed him in a sheer crimson robe that fell to his ankles. Beneath the lace was a pair of maroon tights and a tunic that clung to his frame. Every bit of him wanted to peel it off to wear something loose and flowing, but this was what Hyacinth wanted. She wanted him to appeal to the eye.
"Isn't there any way we could hide them better?" he asked, picking at his tunic, trying to get it to not cling to his chest. They were nubs yet their protruding bothered him. "It's hard to conceal anything in this."
"They're hardly noticeable, sire."
Calanthe frowned and turned to Laina as she rustled through his vanity. She withdrew a pendant, the gold glistened under the sunshine coming in through the curtains. The series of twisted rope rings, each the size of a coin, called for one's attention while tiny emeralds lined the ring bands. When worn the necklace laid just below his chest in between his breasts.
"Perhaps it will draw the eyes away from attention areas," she stated when she caught his gaze.
He gnawed on his bottom lip, playing with a bit of loose skin. He didn't like the idea and would rather wear something else but there wasn't any changing the mind of Laina. She was under the thumb of Hyacinth and any change without her request would be met with ire.
"I wish I could do more, sire," she muttered as she walked towards him, carrying the necklace. "Many of us do, but the power Her Majesty wields over us is too great."
He furrowed his brows. There was the pity once again, pity for his position. He hadn't asked for saving, and even if he had, it wasn't as if it mattered regardless. The Queen was the highest ruling official in their kingdom and by order her say was final. If he had to follow Hyacinth's commands then as did they. Calanthe would be the token of loyalty and be handed over to King Sindri. There was nothing anyone could do about it. He just wanted this done and over with.
"I don't blame any of you for the situation I am in nor do I expect you to free me from it," he stated, a bitterness to his tone that he couldn't hide. "I'm here to serve the Queen the same as you."
"My apologies, sire."
The conversation fell to silence. Laina bowed her head, with the necklace hanging loose in her grasp. He sighed, knowing she had been loyal to him since the day they had met. She didn't deserve the spite he held in his heart. He hated the situation he was in as much as most anyone within Eglantine did, but when it came down to it, his willingness to hold onto that hatred all relied upon the answer to one question.
